If SC had more than little or no use for Mervin...why else did they let the Japanese have him?

Why all the assumptions about SC, past and future? Maybe they understand the difficulty of finding partners and have let go and accepted skaters. We don't know what they are going to do about the very talented Mervin yet. And we can't just assume Mervin only cares to skate for himself, or should automatically be the one to switch nationality since he did it before.

This new pairing will boost US strength in Pairs, at a time when previously strong Canadian Pairs are in a bit of disarray

I don't understand this pairing. I'm sure Marissa after getting a taste of the Olympics wants to get their again but there's no way Tran becomes a citizen for at least 7 years thanks to our broken immigration policy.

If SC had more than little or no use for Mervin...why else did they let the Japanese have him?

Because that was several years ago. He was young and unproven. And their pairs program was in better shape then. I do hope they just let him go with nothing more than the required year out- I'm just saying I won't be surprised if it doesn't happen so simply.

I don't understand this pairing. I'm sure Marissa after getting a taste of the Olympics wants to get their again but there's no way Tran becomes a citizen for at least 7 years thanks to our broken immigration policy.

I was so wrong in thinking Mervin would be able to get US citizenship in time for the next Olympic? It worked out for Tanith.

I was so wrong in thinking Mervin would be able to get US citizenship in time for the next Olympic? It worked out for Tanith.

Tanith missed the 2002 Olympics because she wasn't yet a citizen and it took her over 7 years to get her citizenship only through a special act of Congress. Tanith was much younger then Mervin and could afford to miss one Olympics but if Tran had to wait till 2022 he would be over 30.

I was so wrong in thinking Mervin would be able to get US citizenship in time for the next Olympic? It worked out for Tanith.

As I recall the sequence of events, Tanith got caught up in the aftermath of the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in 2001. A lot of applications for U.S. citizenship were put on hold. It literally took an act of Congress for Tanith to cut through the red tape in time for the 2006 Olympics.

In this effort she was befriended by the U.S. Congressional Representative from Michigan's Eleventh District, Thaddeus McCotter. (Note how skillfully this district curves around to pick up both Bloomfield Hills, where the Detroit Skating Club is located and Canton Township, where Mrs. Zoueva's operation moved -- rather like a salamander. All that white part in the middle? That's where the Democrats live.)

McCotter was kicked off the ballot in the next election when it was revealed that many of the required signatures on his nominating petitions were Xeroed copies of signatures from previous years. Private citizen McCotter sued his campaign manager, alleging that the manager sold him down the river in exchange for the cancellation of a gambling debt. The Tea Party candidate ran essentially unopposed and won.

Not that any of this is Tanith's fault. Just Michigan business as usual.

I'm of the camp that believes Marissa and Mervin felt it would be much more likely for Canada to release Mervin (4th at one Canadian nationals) than for the US to release Marissa (2-time US nats champion, GP medalist, Olympic team bronze medalist), so that's the direction they're heading. Let's hope it works. This should be really interesting--Mervin is much more expressive than Simon, but it will be a challenge, I would think, for her to get used to a new partner after so many years with Simon.

Is Marissa saying somebody has got to be unpatriotic for this to work and it ain't going to be me?

I think at least partly an issue of which country was more likely to release quickly. However, it would have been easier for her to get Canadian citizenship and ultimately USFS would have had to release her. So either choice for them had/has its potential logistical problems. That being said, I have no problem with her insisting upon representing the US. Mervin spent most of his career skating for Japan. Marissa has been representing Team USA internationally for 5-6 years, has two US titles and won an Olympic medal as a part of team USA. It's easy to see how that would be very meaningful for her. That's not a knock at Mervin, I'm just not surprised he was more willing to concede the issue when he has little history representing canada.

Originally Posted by LilJen

MLet's hope it works. This should be really interesting--Mervin is much more expressive than Simon, but it will be a challenge, I would think, for her to get used to a new partner after so many years with Simon.

She admitted in the IN article that it was scary to skate with other people. And how could it not be for any pairs girl? A ton of trust is required in those lifts and twists. It's also going to be a major change dealing with a far less dramatic height difference. It might be good they get to sit out the fall and really get used to one another and work on gelling at a team.

Is Marissa saying somebody has got to be unpatriotic for this to work and it ain't going to be me?

Marissa has represented the U.S. for eight seasons, has won several medals at the World and National level. Mervin has represented Canada for one season and has won zero medals for them. I mean, patriotic or not, it is usually beneficial to take the path of least resistance.

Tran's parents fled southeast Asia and ended up in Saskatchewan. Since 2007, he trained in Montreal, QC, with Bruno Marcotte, for three different countries. If Japan would have given him citizenship, he would still be skating with Takahashi. She wanted to go to the Olympics, and probably the Japanese federation urged her to skate with a Japanese citizen, because of the team event and complete lack of Japanese pairs.

...

It is a bit strange, but it seems to me that Tran's true country is the St. Leonard rink.

Originally Posted by Mrs. P

Marissa has represented the U.S. for eight seasons, has won several medals at the World and National level. Mervin has represented Canada for one season and has won zero medals for them. I mean, patriotic or not, it is usually beneficial to take the path of least resistance.

Nobody is forcing Mervin to do anything.

Agreed, Mrs. P, but I hope that Castelli is fully appreciative to Tran for his willingness to jump through the citizenship hoops for the sake of their mutually beneficial partnership.

Am I correct that dual citizenship would meet the eligibility requirements for Team USA Olympians? I hope that Tran does not have to give up his Canadian citizenship, which I would expect is meaningful to him, given that Canada opened its doors to his parents after they fled their homeland.

Agreed, Mrs. P, but I hope that Castelli is fully appreciative to Tran for his willingness to jump through the citizenship hoops for the sake of their mutually beneficial partnership.

Am I correct that dual citizenship would meet the eligibility requirements for Team USA Olympians? I hope that Tran does not have to give up his Canadian citizenship, which I would expect is meaningful to him, given that Canada opened its doors to his parents after they fled their homeland.

He's not going to be able to get citizenship. They have no hope of Olys. The best they can hope is that they will be allowed to represent the USA internationally in peace. They plan to spend the majority of the year in Montreal, not in the USA. This kills his chances for citizenship. Their best hope for citizenship (not the same as being able to compete in peace, which they did the best thing for that to happen) would have been for her to switch to Canada and sit out for a few years. Their second best shot, while not fantastic, would have been for him to move and train here. Unless something changes from their current announced plan, citizenship's not in the cards.

He's not going to be able to get citizenship. They have no hope of Olys. The best they can hope is that they will be allowed to represent the USA internationally in peace. They plan to spend the majority of the year in Montreal, not in the USA. This kills his chances for citizenship. Their best hope for citizenship (not the same as being able to compete in peace, which they did the best thing for that to happen) would have been for her to switch to Canada and sit out for a few years. Their second best shot, while not fantastic, would have been for him to move and train here. Unless something changes from their current announced plan, citizenship's not in the cards.

Not saying that it will be a piece of cake, but I disagree that Tran has zero hope of U.S. citizenship. (My opinion is based on the experience of multiple members of my family who acquired green cards and subsequently U.S. citizenship.)